An online campaign has started in a bid to get the ‘The Fields of Athenry’ to the Christmas number 1 spot in memory of rugby legend Anthony Foley.

Hundreds of people have already ‘liked’ a Facebook page named ‘Christmas Number One for Axel’, while the campaign has also been shared widely on Twitter.

A week before Christmas as the chart is being compiled the owner of the page will release a link to a version of the track, which is synonymous with Foley’s beloved Munster Rugby.

“If everyone joins in, clicks the link and buys it, then we can make it number one for Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley. The rugby family as one can do this,” the campaign founder, who wishes to remain anonymous - states on the page.

He added: “I was thinking of choosing a version by a relatively unknown singer and someone not on a huge label.

“The artist will be completely unaware so if this works it’d be a huge surprise for them too, but most of all in the year Anthony Foley left us it would be fitting to see any version of Fields of Athenry in the charts as a kind of salute to him as we leave 2016 behind.

Sales of music traditionally spike around Christmas-time, and winning the battle to be top of the pile come December 25 is still hugely prestigious.

Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Kieran O’Hanlon said he is “100% behind” the campaign.

“It’s a great idea. Wouldn’t this be great for Limerick, and a wonderful tribute to his memory,” he said.

The mayor, who is a member of a comhaltas group, also jokingly added: “I might even play it on my accordion too.”

Written and recorded in the 1970s by Pete St John, the popular folk ballad has become an anthem for Irish rugby and soccer fans nationwide.

But Mayor O’Hanlon said it is particularly associated with the home of Munster Rugby, where fans sang a spine-tingling acapella version of the song at the close of Munster’s emotional win over Glasgow, which took place just hours after Axel’s funeral.

The owner of the page will release a link to a version of the track on December 16 and the campaign can be found online here.